HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Cinco de Mayo is a good day to visit Miami-Dade's agricultural communities in search of authentic Mexican cuisine, but if you don't feel like making the journey, there are a few spots worth trying in Miami's Wynwood, South Beach and North Miami Beach.
Here is the top 10 list:
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'COMIDA MEXICANA': Deep South adventure
1. Taqueria Morelia is open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Valero gas station at 961 W. Palm Dr., in Florida City. With 194 reviews, it has 4 stars on Yelp. Inspectors visited the restaurant Jan. 8, and didn't find any violations. Here are the restaurant inspections >
2. La Pasadita is a hole in the wall with a drive through. It opens from 9:30 to 8 p.m. at 624 English Ave., near Krome Avenue, in Homestead. With 72 reviews, it has 4 stars on Yelp. Inspectors visited the restaurant March 2 and didn't find any violations. Here are the restaurant inspections >
3. El Rincon de Jalisco opens from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., at 30360 Old Dixie Highway near the Coral Castle Museum. With 197 reviews, it has 4.5 stars on Yelp. The restaurant is having a Cinco de Mayo party starting at 6 p.m. This one is probably as risky as going to a hole in the wall in Mexico. Food inspectors found eight violations in December. Here are the restaurant inspections >
4. La Cruzada Restaurant opens from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. at 331 Park Place next to the Mexico Market in Homestead. With 172 reviews, it has 4 stars on Yelp. This one is also risky. Food inspectors found nine violations in February. Here are the restaurant inspections >
5. La Quebradita, or the LQ Mexican Grill, opens from 9 a.m .to 9 p.m. at 702 N. Krome Ave., in Homestead. With 107 reviews, it has 4 stars on Yelp. This one is really risky. Food inspectors found 14 violations in January. Here are the restaurant inspections >
FOOD TRUCKS: Mex, Tex-Mex and Carib-Mex
1. The Jalisco Taco Shop food truck is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and parks at 11999 SW 248th St. in Homestead's Princeton area. With 26 reviews, it has 5 starts on Yelp. They are on Instagram.
2. Tacos & Tattoos' Taco Krew food truck will be open from 4 p.m. to midnight at 10 NE 3rd St. in Florida City. With 1055 reviews, the restaurant has 4 stars on Yelp. Food inspectors reported zero violations at the restaurant in November. They are on Instagram.
3. Caja Caliente food truck is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. at 2634 NE 2nd Ave., in Miami's Wynwood. With 173 reviews, it has 4.5 stars on Yelp. Food inspectors found no violations March 16th, and 9 violations two weeks later. They are on Instagram.
ZAGAT'S PICKS: Spots with less than 10 violations
1. Naked Taco is open from 7 a.m. to Midnight at 1111 Collins Ave., in the Bream South Beach Hotel. The Zagat's critic gave the food 4.4 points out of 5 adding that chef Ralph Pagano's "kick-ass" food is fun. Food inspectors found 4 violations April 12th.
2. Paquito's Mexican Restaurant is open from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. at 16265 Biscayne Blvd., in North Miami Beach. The Zagat's critic gave the food 4.4 points out of 5 adding that it is "as authentic as it gets." Food inspectors found 8 violations March 23rd.
